Q&As

Whether trains, planes or cola, Richard Branson is bent on putting his brand on any industry he deems as needing a well-run enterprise. And after 37 years of diverse endeavors his brand, Virgin (or, formally, the Virgin Group of Companies) has been stretched without breaking.

As marketers have an increased need to be accountable and make their advertising dollars go further, the brand/direct connection is becoming more important, said Karen Ebben, director of CRM modeling and program evaluation, General Motors.

(Direct) Ten years ago, Frederick Reichheld’s “The Loyalty Effect” demonstrated to the world that a five-percentage-point decrease in customer defections could improve per-customer profit anywhere from 25% to 85%

Polaris CEO Tom Tiller is challenging his competitors to a duel in a promotion that touts Polaris’ all-terrain vehicles as the toughest ATVs on the market.

Sprint is giving fans of the CBS show The Amazing Race a chance to experience the global journey with contestants through an interactive promotion that puts viewers behind the scenes of the show through their cell phones.

Miller Brewing Co. is out with a chocolate lager, adding another layer of flavors to the $9 billion beer industry as it attempts to stave off a consumer shift towards spirits like vodka and rum.

Product sampling is the most influential in-store marketing method when it comes to influencing consumer purchase decisions, and is a reliable option for marketers looking to increase ROI.

BabyGap is putting the call out to moms and dads who think they have the cutest babies as part of a new contest to feature tots in an upcoming ad for the brand.

Pepsi has partnered with automotive lifestyle brand DUB and its annual custom auto show in an online contest that lets consumers post their own tricked-out autos to a microsite for a chance to win prizes.

7-Eleven is ramping up its image in the Chicago area by letting Chicagoans know that apart from being a convenience store, 7:11 is now the new start time for home games of the Chicago White Sox. 7-Eleven inked the sponsorship deal with the Major League Baseball team last week that will run through 2009.